Configuring landing supports for landing on uneven terrain

Abstract

A system for configuring landing supports of a load to land on uneven terrain includes a terrain sensor configured to detect a terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain. The system further includes landing supports configured to support the load upon landing. The system also includes a support control device operatively coupled to the landing supports, and a landing support control computer that is operatively coupled to the terrain sensor, landing supports, and support control device. The landing support control computer may determine if landing on the uneven terrain is allowable, based on the terrain characteristic and a load characteristic of the load. Upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is allowable, the support control device configures the landing supports for landing on the uneven terrain.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for landing on uneven terrain, comprising:
 detecting with a landing support control computer uneven terrain below a load descending for landing; and 
 in response to detecting the uneven terrain, provide instructions from the landing support control computer to a support control device operatively coupled to at least one landing support of the load to configure the at least one landing support of the load. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the at least one landing support comprises changing a length of the at least one landing support. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the at least one landing support comprises adjusting a pressure on the at least one landing support. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein adjusting the pressure on the at least one landing support comprises changing the pressure from an initial pressure to a predetermined final pressure. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the at least one landing support comprises configuring the at least one landing support based on a load force corresponding to a total weight of the load. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 upon landing on the uneven terrain, determining with the landing support control computer if an attitude of the load is level, and 
 upon determining that the attitude of the load is not level, provide instructions from the landing support control computer to the support control device to configure the at least one landing support to approximately level the attitude of the load. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 upon landing on the uneven terrain, determining with the landing support control computer if conditions on a surface of the uneven terrain are stable, and 
 upon determining that the conditions on the surface of the uneven terrain are unstable, providing a notification from the landing support control computer to an operator associated with the load that conditions on the surface of the uneven terrain are unstable. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining if the attitude of the load is level comprises receiving load sensor data from a load sensor operatively coupled to the at least one landing support. 
     
     
       9. A computer-implemented method for landing an aircraft on uneven terrain, comprising:
 detecting with a landing support control computer a terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain; 
 determining with the landing support control computer if landing on the uneven terrain is allowable based on the terrain characteristic and a load characteristic of the aircraft; and 
 upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is allowable, providing instructions from the landing support control computer to a support control device operatively coupled to a plurality of landing supports of the load to configure at least one of the plurality of landing supports. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein detecting the terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain comprises detecting at least one of a pitch, slope, and surface condition associated with the uneven terrain. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein configuring the at least one landing support comprises adjusting a length of the at least one landing support relative to another at least one of the plurality of landing supports. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein configuring the at least one landing support comprises changing a pressure on the at least one landing support relative to a pressure on another at least one of the plurality landing supports. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the load characteristic of the aircraft is associated with a load force corresponding to a total weight of the aircraft. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is allowable,
 upon landing on the uneven terrain, determining with the landing support control computer if an attitude of the aircraft is approximately level; and 
 upon determining that the attitude of the aircraft is not approximately level, providing instructions from the landing support control computer to the support control device to change the configuration of the at least one landing support to approximately level the attitude of the aircraft. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein determining if the attitude of the aircraft is level upon landing on the uneven terrain comprises receiving load data from a load sensor operatively coupled to the at least one landing support. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is not allowable, providing a notification from the landing support control computer to an operator of the aircraft that landing on the uneven terrain is not allowable. 
     
     
       17. A system for configuring an aircraft for landing on uneven terrain, comprising:
 a terrain sensor configured to detect a terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain; 
 an attitude sensor configured to detect an attitude of the aircraft; 
 a plurality of landing supports, coupled to landing gear, configured to support the aircraft upon landing; 
 a support control device operatively coupled to the plurality of landing supports; and a 
 landing support control computer having a processor and a memory device and operatively coupled to the terrain sensor, attitude sensor, plurality of landing supports, and support control device, configured to
 determine if landing on the uneven terrain is allowable based on the terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain detected by the terrain sensor and a load characteristic of the aircraft, and 
 upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is allowable,
 cause the support control device to configure at least one of the landing supports to approximately level the attitude of the aircraft upon landing on the uneven terrain. 
 
 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein configuring at least one of the plurality of landing supports comprises causing the support control device to adjust a length of at least one of the plurality of landing supports relative to another at least one of the plurality of landing supports. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 17 , wherein configuring at least one of the plurality of landing supports comprises causing the support control device to adjust a pressure applied to at least one of the plurality of landing supports relative to a pressure applied to another at least one of the plurality of landing supports. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the support control device comprises at least one of an actuator and a regulator. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the landing support control computer is further configured to, upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is not allowable, cause a notification system to notify an operator of the aircraft that landing on the uneven terrain is not allowable. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 17 , wherein detecting the terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain comprises causing the terrain sensor to detect at least one of a pitch, slope, and unstable surface condition associated with the uneven terrain. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a load sensor operatively coupled to the landing support control computer and at least one of the landing supports, the landing support control computer further configured to receive load data from the load sensor and, upon landing of the aircraft on the uneven terrain, determine if the attitude of the aircraft is level based on the load data received from the load sensor.